Car Crash Into Davis Canal
Just before 1 AM, we were dispatched, along with Oak Island Fire Department and Oak Island Police Department, to a section of Davis Canal near SW 24th Street for a report of a car in the water. The caller reported that she was awakened by the sound of a crash and could see the vehicle partially submerged in the water. The car’s emergency notification system also sent a crash alert to emergency services before it sank in the canal. We did not yet know if any people were still in the car (they were not). One of our members that responded directly to the scene had noticed a shirtless man walking down the street and reported this to police. Soon after, they found a wet shirt and footprints on a dock leading towards the road.
We responded by launching two boats from Blue Water Point Marina, our new inflatable rescue boat 4490 as well as our “new to us” aluminum boat 4492. It only took a few minutes for us to reach the scene, where we quickly determined the car was fully submerged and no longer visible. The lights had been on and police witnessed the car being pulled down the canal to the east, but the lights had quit working by this time. The Brunswick County Sheriff’s Office Dive Team had already been called and were on their way, so we started a search operation to locate the car using sonar from our boats.
After a short search, the car was located about 1 block east of where it entered the water, on the far south side of the canal near the grassy area. We marked the location using GPS and an anchor and buoy. The tide was getting higher and the car was in about 8 feet of water, with the roof submerged about 5 feet below the surface. It could not be seen through the water.
We docked Boat 4492 on a resident’s dock while waiting for the Brunswick County Sheriff’s Office Dive Team to arrive.
It did not take them long to respond and we loaded 3 of their deputies and gear into Boat 4492 and anchored it near the car.
One diver entered the water to search for the car, but we soon learned that the sole occupant of the vehicle had escaped on his own and walked home. The driver confirmed to police that he was alone in vehicle and the dive team ended their operation. Recovery of the car will now be the responsibility for the salvage team.
We left the anchor and buoy in place overnight to warn boaters of the danger just below the surface. Earlier today, a couple members returned to the scene to make sure the buoy was still in place after the morning storms. It was, and we will leave the marker there until the salvage operation is completed. This is shallow water, especially around low tide, and could easily present a danger to boats traversing the area. The call ended about 4:15 AM.
